Discs
Pro
Grit · 3000
3M Trizact P3000 Hookit Disc
3000-grit pyramid grain. Smooth all the way through. Reads like silk.
3M · Line profile
3M Trizact grit chart.
Pyramids, not grains. The number means what 3M says it means.
Trizact is 3M’s structured abrasive: the mineral is molded into tiny pyramids instead of scattered on a backing. As the tips wear, fresh abrasive is exposed at the same height, so the scratch stays consistent for most of the disc’s life instead of fading as the grain dulls. That consistency is the whole sales pitch, and on a clear-coat repair it is worth it.
Industrial Trizact is graded with an A-number: the lower the A, the finer the finish. Don’t read it as FEPA microns. 3M pairs A45 with P400, which averages 35 microns on the FEPA table, and A160 with P120, which averages 125, so 3M’s pairing table below is the only translation we trust. The automotive foam discs most people buy skip the A-code entirely and are sold in P-grades: P1000, P3000, P5000.
- Construction
- Structured (pyramid) abrasive
- Grading
- 3M A-grade (not microns); auto discs in P-grade
- Common formats
- Hookit foam discs, belts, film
- Use
- Clear-coat defect removal, metal finishing
The chart
3M’s A-grade to P-grade table.
| Trizact A-grade | 3M P-grade equivalent |
|---|---|
| A160Blending welds, heavy metal finishing. | P120 |
| A130Metal finishing after a coarse grind. | P150 |
| A110Pre-finish on metal and composites. | P180 |
| A90General finishing; removing the coarse pattern. | P220 |
| A45Pre-polish on metal; primer leveling. | P400 |
| A35Fine finishing; color-coat scuff. | P600 |
| A20Clear-coat defect leveling. | P800 |
| A16Refining the defect sand before finer steps. | P1200 |
| A6Pre-polish refinement. | P2500 |
| A5The step before compound. The auto P3000 disc lives here.3M Trizact P3000 Hookit Disc → | P3000 |
| (no A-code published)Final refinement; shortens or skips the cutting compound.3M Trizact P5000 Hookit Disc → | P5000 |
A-to-P pairs are copied from 3M’s Trizact Abrasives brochure (doc 60-4400-3566-9).
3M’s table pairs only these A-grades. A10, A30, A60, A65, A80 and A100 exist but get no P-grade from 3M, so we don’t give them one either. We could not find a published A-code for the P5000 disc; all we can say is that it is finer than P3000 (A5).
Another brand's numbers to match? The grit converter lines up P-grades, CAMI, microns and Trizact A-grades.
Sources: 3M Trizact Abrasives brochure (60-4400-3566-9) · Klingspor grit chart (A-column cross-check)
P3000 or P5000?
P3000 is the workhorse finishing disc: it erases a P1500 sanding scratch and leaves a haze a cutting compound clears in a pass or two. P5000 goes one step finer, which means a shorter, gentler polish afterward and less heat in the clear. If you are correcting a whole panel with a dual-action polisher waiting, P5000 saves time at the polishing end. If you are spot-repairing a single run, P3000 alone is usually enough.
Both discs are foam-backed Hookit for a 3- or 6-inch dual-action sander and are used wet with a mist bottle. Compare them against loose paper on the Wetordry chart, where the same job takes 2000 then 3000 by hand.
In the catalog
Every 3M Trizact SKU we cover.
Discs
Pro
Grit · 5000
3M Trizact P5000 Hookit Disc
Where orange-peel becomes mirror prep. Pyramid grain keeps it clean.
Questions people ask
What grit is Trizact A5?
3M pairs A5 with P3000. That is a pairing, not a size: past P2500 no published table gives a micron figure.
What does the A mean on Trizact?
It marks 3M’s own Trizact grading: the lower the A, the finer the finish. It doesn’t line up with FEPA microns. A45 pairs with P400, which averages 35 microns, and A16 with P1200.
Is Trizact P5000 worth it after P3000?
When a polisher is the next step, yes: P5000 leaves a finer haze, so the compounding stage is shorter and runs cooler. For a single spot repair, P3000 alone usually polishes out fine.